COMPLETED - How do I find the right James Baker?

[Slavetotherythm]

Can anyone offer advice to help me the right person where the surname is common (oops - i mean popular),

I'm trying to obtain the correct Birth Certificate for a James Baker (my hubby's GF who died before he was born). James Baker was born in Birmingham. James married Ada Carter on 6th June 1897 at The parish Church in the Parish of Birmingham and he was stated to be age 20 and his father was James Baker deceased, a Wire Worker.

We have found him on the 1901 census at 2 Court 4 House Russell Square, Angelina St, Deritend, Aston, Birmingham. James is stated to be 23 as is his wife and they have children James age 3 and Elsie May, 1.

On 1911 census James Baker and his wife Ada are stated as 34 and 33 respectively and they have children James (13), Elsie May (11), Thomas (9), Arthur (7), Samuel (4) and John (3mths).

James died in April 1953 and was stated to be 74 on the commerorative burial card we have (but we realise the age could be incorrect as it relied on hubby's GM to state it correctly (and she was 2 years out on her own age!).

I've obtained a couple of Birth Certificates where James Baker is fathered by a James Baker. I've managed to eliminate one as the potential father, James Baker was still alive on 1901 census but there are quite a lot so it would cost me a fortune to obtain all the certificates and try and work out by a process of elimination.

Anyone have any good ideas as to the best (and least expensive way) to go about finding the correct James Baker?

Any help greatly appreciated!

J

[california dreamin]

Hi

I don't know if I can't suggest a less expensive way to find an accurate dob  for James - but perhaps any military records? If they were not destroyed 

Was James in WW1 or invovled in any war effort? WW1 or WW2 (Home Guard etc)

Kind regards

[Slavetotherythm]

James Baker was in the war in the Staffordshire Regiment and was in Gallipoli but we haven't been able to find any records. We don't have his army number unfortunately. I'll take another look though just in case I've overlooked them.

Thanks!

J

[jim1]

Does the marriage show any possible siblings as witnesses?
There is a James with father James a birdcage maker which is about as close to a wireworker as you can get.
jim

[Slavetotherythm]

Hi Jim,

No, unforunately it doesn't. The witnesses are James Carter (so on the bride's side) and a Minnie Ketley who I am assuming is a friend or bridesmaid.

I've already picked up the census with James who is a Bird Cage Maker and I actually think this is his father but I just can't prove it. His wife is a Lucy Mary Kenney and she is a widow on the 1901 census which fits in with James' father being deceased at the time of his marriage on 06 June 1897. The addresses of Lucy Mary Baker (nee Kenney) are also close in proximity to James Baker junior. Shame she didn't have any of here grandchildren visiting her on census night.

I might have to just check all births of James Bakers in Birmingham over a 2 year period and then, for any whose father was also named James, trace them all on censuses and hope that only one died before the date of James Baker junior's marriage.

Thanks for your help.

Best regards,


Julie

[jim1]

If you just use the criteria James b.1878 +/- 1 with father James there's just the 2,one who's a brassfounder/dresser & the birdcage maker.The brassfounder is still alive in 1901 whereas the birdcage maker is dead (1893 aged 40 I think).This James Baker was always a birdcage maker & his father was also James a coach painter.
You probably know all this but by elimination there's really no one else it could be.
With such a common popular name this may be as near as you will get.

jim

[Slavetotherythm]

Thanks Jim - I do believe that is the father. In fact I have obtained Death Certificates for the James Baker who was a Bird Cage Maker and for his wife in
the hope that son James Baker had registered one of the deaths but he unfortunately didn't. I think I'm going to visit Birmingham library and look up baptisms of any James Baker born early April 1877 and hope to prove his parents are James Baker & Lucy Mary Kenney. Fingers crossed he was baptised.

If the Marriage Certificate, 1901 and 1911 censuses are all correct then I calculate James Baker must have been born on 1st or 2nd April 1877.


All I can say is thank goodness my own Dad has an unusual name as it's been a lot easier finding my ancestry whereas my hubby has not beeen able to get very far at all on his.

Once again, thanks for your help on this.

Julie

[jim1]

You can't rely on ages on certs. or censuses so you will need to search at least a year either side & you must note there are a lot of B'ham Parishes & only one of each on microfilm which means waiting for them to become available if you go during a busy period such as weekends.Best get there as soon as they open.

jim